A Morning to Forget
by Prism
Summary: Sequel to 'A Night to Remember'!!! It's the morning after......it all. ;) What's going to happen between Kel and Neal? R&R!


Title: A Morning to Forget  
Author: Prism  
Rating: PG13 for a little more description on the kissing.  
Summery: After the Night to Remember, what's going to happen between Kel and Neal??? A lot, if Rainbow and Cleon have anything to say about it!  
Disclaimer: They're yours, oh Mistress Pierce of Tortall!  
AN: Ohhhhh, the review warmed my heart! Gimmee more, and some suggestions for future stories! I haven't read Page yet, so if some facts are wrong, blame the library for not getting the book in yet!  
*************  
Cleon knocked on Neal's door. If the idgit didn't get up and out of bed, Wlydon was going to have his hide. They had to get to the mess. And he still had to wake Seaver, Merric, and Kel. He pounded harder on the door. This time, he got a mumbled growl.   
  
"Mithos bless, Neal! Get out of bed!"  
  
In the room, Neal still had his head buried in his pillow. He had tried looking up at the first knock, but the light from his windows had drilled little painful holes through his head. He had resorted to mumbling into his bedding, hoping Cleon would hear him. Finally, the younger boy pushed the door open and stood next to Neal's bed.  
  
"Oh no, not another hangover, Neal. You still haven't learned that three tankards is all your skinny arse can handle, have you?"  
  
"Narf oo owd"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Not....so......LOUD! ow, that hurt."  
  
Cleon snickered and threw open the shutters, causing Neal to burrow farther into his blanket.   
  
"Gf Ainoowss nangovr srip"  
  
"Again, What?"  
  
"Get....Rainbow's....hangover....syrup."  
  
"Did someone just call for me?" Rainbow stood in the doorway, a green glass bottle dangling in her hand. She looked completely awake and ready to go, her clothes perfect and orderly. The only thing out of place was her usually tightly pinned hair hung in a black wave to her waist.   
  
"Ank e oodds"  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"Thank.....the....gods. Now give me the nasty crap so I can get up."  
  
"Well, well, well, somebody had too much ale last night. I knew that those five tankards would be too much for you, so I whipped up an extra strong batch of my miracle syrup just for you. Say, 'Thank you,   
Rainbow!'."  
  
"Thank you, Rainbow.", he replied in the most sickenly sweet voice he could muster. "You, know, not all of us can handle our alcohol as good as you."  
  
"I'm all mighty. Now drink. I'm going to use your mirror for a second." She handed the bottle to Cleon and started pinning up her hair.  
  
Cleon grabbed Neal's blanket and yanked it off. Neal gave a satisfing yelp and curled up in a ball.   
  
"Come on, close your eyes and take it like a man."  
  
With his eyes jammed tightly shut, he sat up and groped blindly for the bottle. Cleon held it out of his reach for a second.   
  
"Well, well, looks like someone got lucky last night."  
  
"What are you talking about? And give me the blessed bottle, NOW!"  
  
"My dear Queenscove, you have a nice smear of lip paint on your face."  
  
Rainbow replied without turning to look at them. "Oh, that was probably me. Got him in a nice thick line acrossed the chin."  
  
"Yes, I see the remnants of that, and remind me to ask you why you were kissing him later. But the praticular spot I see graces our friend right on the lips."  
  
Rainbow turned around this time, interested. Neal reached up and wiped his lips off, trying to remember where he had gotten that. As he downed the entire bottle on syrup and waited for it to take affect, Rainbow wandered over and glanced at the lipstick that was now on the ends of his fingers. She went silent as her eyes widened.  
  
"Neal! You dog!" she crowed. "I don't believe it! Just how drunk were you? Ummm, I'll go wake the others, so you can get to breakfast on time." She smirked evilly and inched backwards out of the door.   
  
Cleon stared after her for a moment, then turned to Neal, who was just opening his eyes. "What was that about?"  
  
Neal shook his head. "I have no idea. Maybe she knows who kissed me." He glanced down at his fingers and froze. That deep crimson color...  
  
*Will you remember this when the sunlight comes?*  
  
That sweet voice was so familiar.  
  
*Oh yes*  
  
That was him. Who was the girl..... a flood of memories from the night before hit him like a ton of bricks. He choked a little, turned a glistining shade of white, and slumped back in his bed.   
  
Cleon leaned over his friend, a little worried. What had Rainbow put in that syrup? Neal's emerald eyes were wide open as he stared blankly at the ceiling. His mouth worked silently, a very rare thing indeed. Cleon finally had enough and lightly punched Neal's shoulder. The older boy slowly turned over to look at him.  
  
"What is your problem, Queenscove?"  
  
"I'm screwed"  
  
"Oh, by who?"  
  
Neal made a disgusted noise and jumped out of bed. Grabbing some breeches and a tunic, he disappeared into his dressing room. Cleon smirked and settled down in a chair.  
  
"Come on Neal, what did you do that was so bad? You can tell your old buddy Cleon!"  
  
"What, so the entire palace can hear about it by midday?"  
  
"My friend, you wound me. End of breakfast, at the latest. Now, what did you do? This place needs a nice piece of juciy gossip!"  
  
"Vi ssed el"  
  
Still not able to translate Neal's mumbles, he thought that it something to do with Kel. Kel? He couldn't have.....  
  
"What was that? Speak up please!"  
  
Neal stomped out fully dressed and declared, "I said, it's none of your godsforsaken business, snail!" He headed out the door and to the mess.  
  
Cleon just laughed and followed his steaming friend.  
*****************  
  
Kel was in her room, working off the small effects of the alcohol by holding herself upside down in the center of her room. The rush of blood in her brain cleared her thoughts as the memories of last night came rushing back to her. Her reaction was slightly less dramatic as Neal's. She swayed a little, but steadied her hands and stayed with her head an inch above the ground. She decided to stay like that till she absoulutly had to leave for breakfast. She had already cracked the door open for the servant.  
  
Her plan lasted all of five peaceful minutes before her door flew open and crashed against the wall. Rainbow came bursting in and ran smack into Kel. They both tumbled to the ground. Rainbow was back on her feet in a second and dancing around the room. Kel slowly sat up and stared at her friend.  
  
"What is the realms are you doing?"  
  
Rainbow grinned and danced a little more,"So, what does he kiss like?"  
  
Kel turned a neon shade of red and stared at her feet. "Who?"  
  
"Don't you try to pull that on me! I know you kissed our resident squire from Queenscove!"  
  
"And how did you come to that conclusion, Mistress Know-it-all?"  
  
"Because! He still had your lip paint smeared on this morning when I came to give him the syrup! Now I say again, what does he kiss like?"  
  
Kel decided to give Rainbow exactly what she wanted. She looked Rainbow straight in the eye and grinned evilly. "He kisses with more passion than the Lioness uses in a fight."  
  
Rainbow gaped for a second. She quickly recovered her coolness and replied, "Get out."  
  
"I'm telling the complete truth!"  
  
Rainbow giggled and started jumping up and down, acting more like an eight year old than an eighteen year old. Kel started laughing also, and it took them ten minutes before they realised they were going to be late to mess.   
******************  
  
Cleon and Neal had been walking down the hall in silence when a couple of whirlwinds blew past them. As they fought to regain thier balance Rainbow and Kel whirled back and started pushing both to the mess.   
  
Kel sqeaked, "Do you realize how LATE we are? If you two don't hurry, we'll be mucking stables for a month!"  
  
Neal flamed red at the feel of Kel's hands on his shoulders, pushing him forward. He coughed and moved to run beside her.   
  
Cleon had caught that little slip, though. With Neal's little breakout this morning, and all the signs now flying off the two was getting him suspisious. He also ducked out of Rainbow's grasp and started running next to her. He leaned in and whispered, "Okay, tell me. What's going on with our two quiet friends there?"  
  
Rainbow glanced at him, then at the two ahead of them. Neal was staring at his feet while his ran, while Kel had her Yamani mask on and was staring straight ahead.   
  
Rainbow grabbed Cleon's arm and slowed down slightly. Neal and Kel got farther ahead without noticing they were leaving they're friends behind. She turned to grin wickedly at Cleon.   
  
"I've got a plan."  
*****************  
  
Neal ate his meal silently as he stared at his plate. He was very aware of the girl at his side. He didn't know what to say. How do you address your best friend, who you just happen to have a crush on, and who you kissed last night? He sighed and picked at his food.  
  
Kel heard his sigh and misinterpreted it to mean regret from the past night. She bit back tears and shoved a spoonful of the nasty gruel in her mouth.   
  
Rainbow and Cleon watched from the other side of the table. They were both very dissapointed in thier friends. Here was a perfect oppurtunity to move on to the kind of relationship that both of them wanted, and they were blowing it! Sure, Cleon would have swam all the way to the Copper Islands if it meant Kel would kiss him, but he knew she only thought of him as a big brother. She treated him like she would any member of her family. And in a way, maybe that was better than her loving him in a different way. Besides, Neal was absoulutly struck blindly in love with her. And, anyone could see by Kel's own body language that she felt the same. Now, if they would just DO something about it!  
  
Rainbow grinned as Clank made his way to their table. Time to put the plan into action.  
  
A few minutes later, Neal and Kel were knocked out of their cold silences as Clank appeared over their shoulders. He looked meanifully at Kel.   
  
"Can I talk with you Kel? I have something I want to tell you."  
  
Kel was startled at the intense look he was giving her, and she had an unsettling suspision about what he wanted to say. But... it was better than staying in this cold cafatieria with the quiet friend at her side.  
  
"Sure Clank."  
  
Neal glared at the other boy's back as he led Kel out of the mess. To his surprise, just as the two were dissapearing out of the doorway, Clank looked over his shoulder and gave Neal a wicked smile and a wink.   
  
He was still staring at the door when Rainbow reached over and gripped his arm. He looked up and saw a look of fear on her face.  
  
"Did my brother just leave with Kel?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
What?"  
  
"Clank's been babbling lately about how much he likes Kel. You know, LIKE likes!"  
  
Neal swallowed hard. Great. Clank had gone off to profess his love for Kel. How was he suppoused to compete with Clank? Sure, Neal was a noble, and had more money, but Clank had the sinewy good looks that all the girls swooned over at the court. And everyone knew that Clank was the tall, dark, and silent type, while he didn't even know how to shut up.   
  
Rainbow watched in sadness as all of Neal's insecurities swam acrossed his face. Neal was great, why did he put himself down so much? Oh well, that wasn't what she was here to worry about today! She quickly pulled her acting mask back on and gave Neal a frightened, yet caring look.  
  
"Look, Neal. I know all about last night. You kissed Kel. Today you act like you've forgotten all about it. She's hurt. Vunerable." Vunerable as a sheet of iron, thought Rainbow. "If he says anything to her, who knows what she might do in this state?"  
  
If Neal had been in his right mind, he would have realised that Rainbow never used that tone of voice unless she wanted something. Or that Cleon was nowhere to be seen. But he wasn't. He bolted from his seat and ran out of the door Clank and Kel had taken.  
******************  
  
Clank rested his arm on Kel's shoulder as they came to a stop outside of the temple.   
  
"Kel, I have to tell you something very important."  
  
"What, Clank?"  
  
He smiled sadly at her. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Wha....?" Clank took a step back, and a shimmering yellow shield enclosed the confused girl. She gaped at it for a second before pounding it with her fists. Of course it had to be a magic shield! The magicless girl was now furious.  
  
"CLANK!"   
  
"Sorry, kid. This is for your own good."  
******************  
  
Neal stopped as he skidded around a corner and found Clank leaning against one of his own barriers, Kel's outrages yells echoing faintly.  
  
"What the...."  
  
"Sorry bud." Rainbows voice came from behind him. A silver shield flew up and around him. A few seconds later, it merged with the yellow shield, and he was left in the small space with Kel.   
  
Cleon walked around the corner, a small crystal stone in his hand.  
  
"You know, I'm surprised you couldn't come up with anything better than the old, lock them in a room together trick. In fact, why didn't we just use a closet?"  
  
"Because this way, we can control the amount of space they have. If they don't do something in ten minutes or less, it gets smaller. Next ten minutes, smaller. On and on, see? And give me that crystal!"  
  
Cleon handed her the crystal. "Numair said to set it on the edge of the shield and it will keep it up against any kind of magic."  
  
"Did he ask what the shield was for?"  
  
"Nah, he was too engrossed with his experiments."  
  
"Good."  
  
Neal had been slowly working his hand through the two layered shield, using all the magical patience he possesed. Just when his fingers were about to break the outside, a thicker, harder black layer covered the outside. He yelped and yanked his hand out.  
  
Kel jumped. "What happened? Are you okay?" She grabbed his hand and rubbed the blackened spots on the ends of his fingers. He sucked in a breath at her touch.  
  
"That is one mean spell."  
  
"Where do you think they got it."  
  
"Numair, probably."  
  
"Oh great. We're never going to get out of here!"  
  
"What, you think I'm not as strong as Numair?" He grinned down at her head.  
  
She looked up and smirked right back as his fingers healed quickly. When they're eyes met, they simply stared at each other as all the feelings from last night came back to them. Their feelings for one another swamped them as Neal captured her mouth with his own. She dropped his hands and gripped his shoulders as his went around her back. He hummed in pleasure as they slowly broke apart.   
  
Kel burrowed further into his arms as he sank to the ground. He stroked her head slowly. They stayed that way for a few minutes before he heard the smallest sniffle. He froze for a second. Where had that come from? Not Kel, she never cried, whined, or whimpered. But, when he tipped her head back, he found her eyes slightly red as she smiled up at him.   
  
He rubbed his thumb acrossed the end of her nose. "What's wrong, love?"  
  
She smiled a little wider at the enderment and sniffed one final time. "Nothing."  
  
"I know you better than that."  
  
"I'm just happy. Relieved."  
  
"Relieved?"  
  
"Well, you weren't exactly forthcoming in affections this morning...."  
  
"And you were, love?"  
  
".....and I thought maybe you had just forgotten about last night. You know, maybe I was just one of girls you always chase....."  
  
"Never."  
  
"..... which would be alright, I guess. Just don't make me love you if it's just going to be a passing thing."  
  
"If this is a passing thing, I'll dance with the Graveyard Hag." He affectionatly tweaked her nose.  
  
She surged upwards before he could blink and kissed him hard. He groaned at the sensation and she took full advantage, her tounge running over his front teeth. Just as he was sure he was going to explode from the fire running through his body, she pulled away, laid a finger against his gaping mouth, and pressed her ear to the barrier. Voices floated in to their little prision.  
  
"Oh, hello Master Numair! Daine!"  
  
"What is behind the shield, Trainee Rainbow?"  
  
"Ummmmmmmmm......"  
  
Neal flicked out his tounge and wrapped it around Kel's finger, drawing the diget into mouth. He grinned wickedly as Kel's eyes slid shut at the sensation.  
  
"Move, so I may have my crystal back."  
  
"Ummmmm, can I have five more minutes?"  
  
"Just what do you have in there?"  
  
"Ummmmm, it's more like who."  
  
"What are you saying, Cleon? Do you have PEOPLE in there? Why didn't you tell me! That shield locks everything out! Including air!"  
  
"Awwwww! Get it off of there!"  
  
"That's exactly what I'm going to do, Trainee."  
  
Neal and Kel quickly moved to other sides of the shield and put on their best 'sad and pitiful' looks. Numair quickly got them out, and they scrambled to get out of the way as he started yelling at their three friends. As they walked past Daine, Kel was sure she saw the older woman wink at her.  
  
The bell was sounding to end morning meal just as they trudged into the hallway leading to the classrooms. That gave them maybe five minutes to get to their classroom. Thankfully, it didn't require books. They were both too tired for that.  
  
Neal leaned into one of the sheltered alcolves and rested his head against the wall. Kel leaned beside him, her eyes closed. Taking a quick glance around and seeing none of thier friends within view, he pulled her against his chest and leaned back again. Sighing contentedly, Kel nuzzled the shoulder of his shirt.   
  
Their restful silence lasted only a moment or two before the first footsteps of fellow classmates began ringing in the halls. They both regretfully pulled away. Deciding on a quick kiss, their lips had just touched when from behind them came three "Awwwwwwwww"s. They yanked apart and turned to see Rainbow, Clank, and Cleon grinning at them.   
  
"Told you it would work."  
  
"We're still mucking the stables, dear Sister."  
  
"It was worth it."  
  
"Cleon! Hopeless romantic at heart."  
  
Said boy blushed a little. He grinned lopsided at Rainbow.  
  
"You caught me. Want to find out how romantic." He wiggled his eyebrows at Rainbow and offered his arm.  
  
She raised one eyebrow and stared at him for a second, then giggled and took his arm. "Lead the way, Squire."  
  
As they walked off down the hall, and Kel and Neal headed in another direction leaning on one another, Clank stood where he was for a second and sighed.  
  
"Great. I need an ale to forget all of this."  
  
THE END!!!!  
  
**********  
OHHHHHH, I didn't like that chapter. I don't think it flowed very well. So, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.  
  
Love it? Hate it? Review!!!!!!  
  
Suggestions for future stories will be taken very seriously!  
  
  
  



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